The present invention relates to a distribution system, a distribution method, a terminal and a server connected to a communication line such as a network.
The so-called content such as a piece of music, video software or game software is stored in a server as digital data. A content can be downloaded from a server to an apparatus connected to the server by a public communication line such as an ISDN (Integrated Standard Digital Network), an analog telephone line or a satellite communication line. Such a system implementation is known as a COD (Content On Demand) system.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a typical implementation of the COD system in a simple and plain manner.
A server 1 receives contents such as a piece of music, video software like a movie and game software, which are produced by a content holder company 2. The server 1 converts such a content into digital data and stores the digital data as content data.
The server 1 is connected to for example user terminals 5 owned by worldwide users A, B, . . . and Z by the Internet 4 and therefore capable of communicating with the terminals 5.
The server 1 transmits a menu showing a list of contents to a specific user terminal 5 connected to the server 1. The specific user terminal 5 displays the menu received from the server 1 typically as the so-called browser screen, and allows the user of the user terminal 5 to select a desired content from the menu and download the selected content from the server 1 to the user terminal 5 in accordance with a necessary operation procedure. Then, the user of the user terminal 5 transmits a content order for downloading the selected content.
In operations carried out by the user to transmit the content order, the user enters the number of the user's credit card or bank account and an authentication code, which is accounting information used by the server to authenticate the user. As an alternative, the user may enter the identification code of a prepaid card purchased by the user as accounting information. These pieces of data are included in the content order.
The server 1 receives the content order through the Internet 4 and uses data such as an authentication code included in the content order to authenticate the user.
In the server 1, there are stored a number of contents supplied by the content holder company 2 as data. If the user is authenticated as an authorized user, the server 1 transmits a content specified in the content order to the user terminal 5. At that time, a payment is made by a bank 3 with which the user made a contract. The payment is based on the counting information included in the content order.
The data of the content transmitted by the server 1 as described above is received by the user terminal 5 and stored in a recording medium provided for contents. That is to say, the content is downloaded from the server 1 to the user terminal 5.
In this way, it is possible to construct a COD system wherein the user is capable of purchasing a desired content and downloading the content through a communication line.
By the way, in an ordinary market where commodities are available in stores or the like for sales, a service offering a discount price or an added value such as an extra gift is often rendered to a customer who purchases commodities frequently or purchases commodities at a total price exceeding a predetermined value. In this way, purchasing desires of the customers are aroused and competition among stores is promoted, making the market brisker.
In business transactions through a network which are conducted in the COD system described above, however, such a service does not exist.